Background Food insecurity is increasingly recognized as a barrier to optimal treatment outcomes but there is little data on this issue. We assessed associations between food insecurity and mortality in HIV-infected antiretroviral therapy (ART)-treated individuals in Vancouver, British Columbia (BC), and whether body max index (BMI) modified associations. Methods Individuals were recruited from the BC HIV/AIDS drug treatment program in 1998 and 1999, and were followed until June 2007 for outcomes. Food insecurity was measured with the Radimer/Cornell questionnaire. Cox proportional hazard models were used to determine associations between food insecurity, BMI and non-accidental deaths when controlling for confounders. Results Among 1119 participants, 536 (48%) were categorized as food insecure and 160 (14%) were categorized as underweight (BMI <18.5). After a median follow-up time of 8.2 years, 153 individuals (14%) had died from non-accidental deaths. After controlling for adherence, CD4 counts, and socioeconomic variables, people who were food insecure and underweight were nearly two times more likely to die (Adjusted hazard ratio [AHR]=1.94, 95% Confidence interval [CI]=1.10-3.40) compared with people who were not food insecure or underweight. There was also a trend towards increased risk of mortality among people who were food insecure and not underweight (AHR= 1.40, 95% CI=0.91-2.05). In contrast, people who were underweight but food secure were not more likely to die. Conclusions Food insecurity is a risk factor for mortality among ART-treated individuals in BC, particularly among individuals who are underweight. Innovative approaches to address food insecurity should be incorporated into HIV treatment programs.

In a setting where treatment for HIV is free of charge, a significant number of HIV-positive persons did not access HAART. Low socioeconomic status was associated with this delay and with increased mortality among persons receiving HAART. Social and health policy initiatives, beyond free and universal health care, are required to optimize access to HAART.

This study aimed to assess the prevalence and correlates of food insecurity in a cohort of HIV-infected individuals on highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) in British Columbia (BC), Canada. Adults receiving HAART voluntarily enrolled into the Longitudinal Investigations into Supportive and Ancillary Health Services (LISA) cohort. Individual food insecurity was measured using a modified version of the Radimer/Cornell Questionnaire. We performed bivariate analyses to determine differences between explanatory variables for individuals who were food secure and food insecure. We performed logistic regression to determine independent predictors of food insecurity. Of the 457 individuals enrolled in the LISA cohort, 324 (71.0%) were found to be food insecure. Multivariate analysis indicated that individuals who had an annual incomes less than $15,000 (odds ratio [OR] 3.15, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.83, 5.44), used illicit drugs (OR 1.85, 95% CI 1.03, 3.33), smoked tobacco (OR 2.30, 95% CI 1.30, 4.07), had depressive symptoms (OR 2.34, 95% CI 1.38, 3.96), and were younger (OR 0.95, 95% CI, 0.92, 0.98) were more likely to be food insecure. Our results demonstrated a high (71%) prevalence of food insecurity among HIV-infected individuals receiving HAART in this resource-rich setting, and that food insecurity is associated with a compendium of environmental and behavioral factors. More research is needed to understand the biological and social pathways linking food insecurity to these variables in order to identify program strategies that can effectively improve food security among HIV-infected populations.

Objectives The aim of the study was to compare the risks of death among HIV‐infected patients on highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) in two proximate, yet distinct neighbourhoods: a neighbourhood with a high concentration of gay men, and a neighbourhood with a high concentration of injecting drug users. Methods We compared the clinical and socioeconomic characteristics of HIV‐infected patients from the two neighbourhoods entering the British Columbia Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS Drug Treatment Program from 1 September 1997 to 30 November 2005, using contingency table statistics. Cox survival models and Kaplan–Meier methods were used to estimate the cumulative mortality rates. Results We found significant differences between patients from the two neighbourhoods for all socioeconomic variables. Patients in the neighbourhood with a high concentration of injecting drug users were more likely to be female, have a history of injecting drug use, have a less HIV‐experienced physician and be less adherent. Patients in the neighbourhood with a high concentration of gay men were more likely to have AIDS. Mortality was significantly higher for patients in the neighbourhood with a high concentration of injecting drug users [hazard ratio (HR) 3.01; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.73, 5.24]. Conclusions A threefold increase was observed in the risk of death among HIV‐infected individuals on HAART in the neighbourhood with a high concentration of injecting drug users relative to the neighbourhood with a high concentration of gay men. The implications of this study should be assessed in similar HIV/AIDS epicentres.

A patient's understanding and use of healthcare information can affect their decisions regarding treatment. Better patient understanding about HIV resistance may improve adherence to therapy, decrease population viral load and extend the use of first-line HIV therapies. We examined knowledge of developing HIV resistance and explored treatment outcomes in a cohort of HIV+ persons on highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). The longitudinal investigations into supportive and ancillary health services (LISA) cohort is a prospective study of HIV+ persons on HAART. A comprehensive interviewer-administrated survey collected socio-demographic variables. Drug resistance knowledge was determined using a three-part definition. Clinical markers were collected through linkage with the Drug Treatment Program (DTP) at the British Columbia Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS. Categorical variables were compared using Fisher's Exact Test and continuous variables using the Wilcoxon rank-sum test. Proportional odds logistic regression was performed for the adjusted multivariable analysis. Of 457 LISA participants, less than 4% completely defined HIV resistance and 20% reported that they had not discussed resistance with their physician. Overall, 61% of the cohort is >or=95% adherent based on prescription refills. Owing to small numbers pooling was preformed for analyses. The model showed that being younger (OR=0.97, 95% CI: 0.95-0.99), having greater than high school education (OR=1.64, 95% CI: 1.07-2.51), discussing medication with physicians (OR=3.67, 95% CI: 1.76-7.64), having high provider trust (OR=1.02, 95% CI: 1.01-1.03), and receiving one-to-one counseling by a pharmacist (OR=2.14, 95% CI: 1.41-3.24) are predictive of a complete or partial definition of HIV resistance. The probability of completely defining HIV resistance increased from 15.8 to 63.9% if respondents had discussed HIV medication with both a physician and a pharmacist. Although the understanding of HIV resistance showed no differences in treatment outcomes in this cohort, overall adherence and complete understanding of HIV resistance were low. If patient understanding could be improved through discussions with physicians and pharmacists, potential exists to enhance overall adherence and treatment outcomes.